Enchanted Dawn
by ScarletRaven1001
Summary: Inuyasha and Kagome have been cursed: to be forever together but eternally apart. Eh? (IK, MS) AU
1. Default Chapter

A/N: Hiya! I'm back with yet *another* story (I hear groaning but I am gonna ignore it completely!). Yeah, two new stories, all posted on the same day! Yeah! Go me!  
  
Anyway, this story is my new romance flick, since my first fic and major project is almost over. Oh my, I can't believe my first fic is almost complete!  
  
So, here it is. I hope you guys like it... Please review! Thanks! Enjoy~  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and company.  
  
-----/---@  
  
ENCHANTED DAWN  
  
The Sun's Curse  
  
-----/---@  
  
The sun blared down on the plain, hot and heavy upon those who tilled the fields. The rolling hillside, with its lush trees and tall green grass swaying in the steady breeze, filled the air with the fresh scent of morning, and the occasional chirps of the early birds filled in the echoing melody of joy that lacked from the calming view.  
  
The farmers down on the farmlands wiped their sweaty brows with the backs of their hands, squinting up at the bright morning star with tired smiles on their lips. They had been working since the predawn hours, planting and watering their crops, and the vibrant rays were the last step to complete their morning's work.  
  
They each trudged back to their homes as the full wave of the sun hit them, all but one.  
  
Inuyasha stood in the center of the field, his bright golden eyes intent on the clear blue sky. His long silver hair gently flew about his shoulders as he clutched his scythe in his left hand. His right hand clutched a small round pendant that he wore on a necklace around his neck. His brows were drawn together, and he looked deep in thought, barely hearing the soft call of his 'grandmother' to go back into the house.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kaede called for perhaps the fifth time. "Inuyasha! Do you want to get sun damage, boy? Get in here and eat your breakfast before it gets cold!"  
  
The hanyou nearly rolled his eyes at the old woman's call. It was like this everyday! "Hai, baabaa! I'm coming!" he answered as he grudgingly trudged back into the hut. Before stepping into the house, he turned one last time to look at the scenery, a soft smile on his lips, his mind on one person who was most probably staring up at the same blue sky...  
  
'Kagome...'  
  
He wiped the smile from his face as he entered the hut, pasting on his all- too usual scowl. "I was enjoying the scenery, Kaede. I don't want to get sun damage. And I won't get sun damage! I'm a damn hanyou, as you well know!"  
  
Kaede smiled through his antics. She had been taking care of him since he was a kid, since the death of both his parents, and she knew the boy better than she knew the back of her hand. "Well," she began. "I know you won't, but you also know that I won't let you go off to HER house until you've had your breakfast!"  
  
Inuyasha looked at her blankly as he sat down before his breakfast of bread, soup and water. He tried to snarl, but he couldn't help the good- natured grin that slipped. "You wound me, Kaede-baabaa," he said jokingly, picking up his food and practically inhaling it. He rose to his feet in a moment, dusting off his red hakama. "Ok, I'm leaving. Bye Kaede." He said hurriedly.  
  
Kaede stopped him. "Aren't you even going to change your clothes? You smell like soil, Inuyasha!"  
  
He grinned. "Nah... she likes me this way," he declared, before lifting aside the shoji door and heading for the home of his love, which was down the other side of the village.  
  
"Be careful!" Kaede called from inside the hut.  
  
"You too! Don't break your back, ne, baabaa?! Call for help when you need it!"  
  
-----/---@  
  
Kagome stared out at the beautiful fields, drinking in the scent of fresh dew as it wafted by her window. She lifted her gaze to the sky before turning again to stare expectantly at the stairs that led up to the shrine and at the village pathway. She unconsciously clutched the small round pendant that hung from a necklace around her neck, and she smiled fondly.  
  
HE had given her that pendant the day she agreed to be his girl... and he wore an exact same pendant around his own neck...  
  
"Kagome-chan? Your breakfast is going cold," her mother called. Kagome hastily turned to her family, and grinned as she watched her jiichan pop his shoulders.  
  
"Ah! Field work gets harder everyday!" the old man complained. Kagome laughed.  
  
"Come on, jiichan! I told you to ask help from Inuyasha if the work is too much for you!" she said laughingly as she sat down before her meal. She blew on her vegetable soup before slowly sipping it. Her grandfather huffed.  
  
"I am the town priest! I will not ask assistance from a hanyou!" he exclaimed indignantly. Kagome giggled as her mother proceeded to scold her grandfather.  
  
Souta, her brother, who had been sitting up on a higher stool, suddenly cheered. "Kagome-neechan! Inu-no-niichan is here!" he yelled, and Kagome immediately ran for the window to see if he was honest.  
  
Her heart nearly pumped out of her chest as she took in the sight of him making his way up the shrine steps. He had pulled up his wide red sleeves, exposing his muscular arms to all those who cared to look. He was panting lightly with exertion, and she knew from the mud in his clothes that he had gone straight from work to see her. Her heart swelled at the thought that he couldn't wait long enough to take a short rest from planting to see her.  
  
She rushed to the water basin in the corner of the house, trying to scrub off the non-existent dirt. She heard her mother giggle at her actions, and she warned Souta to shut his mouth once Inuyasha got there. She grabbed a broom from its place in the corner of the house and rushed to the wooden door, slowing once she reached out to open it.  
  
She tried to act calm as she opened the door and stepped out into the sun. She pretended not to know he was here and set out to 'sweep' the grounds, knowing full well that he could see her. She made a show out of brushing her bangs back from her face as she smiled at the sky. She tried to calm her pounding heart as she felt him come near.  
  
"Kagome!" he called, and she whirled about in 'surprise'.  
  
"Inuyasha! You're here!" she said in delight, leaning her broom against a wall of the house as she walked over to the approaching man. She smiled brightly as she reached him, then wiped a smudge of dirt off his cheek. "Mou, you ran over right after working, didn't you?"  
  
"Hai," Inuyasha fibbed. "I wanted to see you. So sue me," he joked lightly as he took her hand in his and lightly kissed her palm. "I missed you."  
  
Kagome blushed heavily. "We just saw each other yesterday."  
  
"Well, I missed you as I worked this morning!" Inuyasha smiled at the pretty blush that covered her cheeks. "What are you up to today?"  
  
Kagome shook her head. "I don't have any plans for today, but I do have to finish sweeping the shrine..."  
  
"I can help with that," Inuyasha said quickly.  
  
"No, really! I can handle it!" Kagome said. "Mou. I'm not a helpless child."  
  
"Keh," Inuyasha replied. Kagome punched his arm playfully.  
  
"What was that supposed to mean?" she asked mock-angrily.  
  
"Nothing!"  
  
"Hmmph!"  
  
Before neither could speak again, a small voice piped up. "Look, why don't *I* sweep the shrine and *you* lovebirds can go on a walk or whatever thing you two do when you're alone?"  
  
Both looked down to find Souta looking at them impatiently as he held Kagome's broom. Inuyasha grinned at the child before nodding gratefully, then taking Kagome's hand in his. "What do you want this time, brat?" Inuyasha asked with a smirk.  
  
"Oh, nothing..." Souta said, earning himself disbelieving looks from the lovers. "Ok! So I want some more sword lessons... you are so cool with your Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha-niichan!"  
  
Inuyasha grinned smugly. "Ok. Lessons tomorrow brat. Get ready, coz I won't go easy on you!"  
  
"Alright!!! Arigatou, Inu-no-niichan!" Souta yelled, pumping his fists into the air and sweeping the grounds with enthusiasm.  
  
Inuyasha grinned at Kagome, a slight smile that sent her heart somersaulting in her chest, before steering her towards her house to say a quick goodbye to her mom and grandfather.  
  
"We'll be back by lunch!"  
  
Little did they know.  
  
-----/---@  
  
Naraku sat up straight on his horse as he heard faint voices in the forest. He narrowed his eyes as he realized who they may belong to.  
  
'Of course. Who else could it be,' he growled mentally. There were only two people, aside from himself, who roamed the hillside forests at a nearly daily basis. It was that bastard... and HER.  
  
Since the day those two met, they had been inseparable, and it was driving him crazy with jealousy. He wanted to be the one with her, to be the one kissing her deep in the woods as he held her soft hands in his.  
  
And for this he was repulsed by the very thought of the peasant hanyou's name. The last time he and Inuyasha clashed, it was his sword against Inuyasha's. Both had gotten wounded, and Kagome made him look like dung when she immediately ran for Inuyasha's side, throwing Naraku a dirty glare.  
  
That day, he decided... if he can't have Kagome, no one else will. Especially not the bastard hanyou.  
  
He urged his steed to go faster, wishing to speak to the lady. Excitement raced through his veins as their voices became clearer as he approached them.  
  
-----/---@  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped in shock.  
  
"Honestly! He really did that!" Inuyasha said with a grin.  
  
"You're kidding!" she replied laughingly.  
  
"No! I'm perfectly serious!"  
  
"I can't believe it! I never thought that Koru-kun would do something so dirty!"  
  
"Well, you'd better believe it!"  
  
They walked in a bit of comfortable silence after that, only pausing as they came across a large tree in the middle of a clearing.  
  
"The Goshinboku..." both murmured softly to themselves.  
  
"This is where we met, ne, Inuyasha?" Kagome said, not tearing her gaze from its thick brush of leaves.  
  
"Aa. Do you remember that day?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome turned to him and gave him a bright, wistful smile that quite clearly said 'how can I ever forget?'.  
  
Inuyasha stroked her cheek with his hand not holding hers, tracing his thumb slowly over her lips. Kagome closed her eyes and sighed softly, and she could feel his hot breath on her face as he slowly leaned down, lowering his lips to hers...  
  
"Ahem!"  
  
The pair abruptly broke apart as someone cleared his throat loudly. Inuyasha glared up at the daimyo who sat on his black horse, smiling smugly at interrupting them.  
  
"What the fuck do you want, Naraku?" Inuyasha seethed. Naraku just shook his head.  
  
"Ku ku ku. Such language!" Then, he turned to Kagome and said in a falsely sweet voice, "Do you really wish to be with someone as foul as him?"  
  
Kagome looked rather angrily up at the daimyo, who for months had persistently sought after her, asking her, pleading with her, even threatening her to be his lady. "As I have repeatedly told you, Lord Naraku, I wish to be with Inuyasha, and there is nothing you could say to change my mind."  
  
"No wish of yours shall come true if you don't go with me!" he roared, and Inuyasha stepped before Kagome to protect her if Naraku proved to be a threat.  
  
"She wishes to be with me, Naraku, and as far as I can see, that wish is more than fulfilled," Inuyasha snarled. "We shall forever be together, Naraku." Kagome nodded from behind him.  
  
Naraku's blood boiled at the sight. "I warned you..." he said in an eerily soft and calm voice. "It is your wish to forever be together, ne? Well I can't help that... but... there are things worse than being apart..."  
  
Kagome cringed as she felt a strange aura around the furious daimyo. "Inuyasha..."  
  
Inuyasha simply backed up, taking her with him. "Let's get away from this loony, Kagome."  
  
Kagome nodded, and both cautiously backed away from the crazed man.  
  
Naraku noticed this, of course, and he said loudly, in an angry voice, "Grant that these souls upon enchanted dawn... Be forever together but eternally apart..."  
  
Inuyasha laughed at his ranting. "You've totally lost it Naraku. We'll be seeing you," he said as both he and Kagome turned their backs at the daimyo. Kagome, however, suddenly felt a chill run down her spine at Naraku's words.  
  
Naraku laughed manically. "Oh, you won't Inuyasha. Neither will you see each other."  
  
"What the fuck are you talking - huh?" Inuyasha turned to find Naraku gone. "Where the hell did he go?"  
  
Kagome tugged on his arm, and Inuyasha looked upon her face to find her eyes wide with worry. "Kagome? Doushite?"  
  
"I have a bad feeling about this, Inuyasha. Please, let's... what is that?" she tried to ask him to back off, but she was distracted by the sight of a slowly spreading mist.  
  
Inuyasha stared at the mist in puzzlement. "This appeared out of nowhere!"  
  
"Come on!" Kagome shouted, and Inuyasha promptly flung her on his back, carrying her as he raced back down the path they had taken. Kagome held on tight, her legs wrapped around his torso as he ran at full speed, but for some reason, the smoke seemed to move much more quickly, and soon they were trapped in the forest, surrounded by the strange mist.  
  
"What the hell is this smoke?" Inuyasha asked rhetorically as he covered his nose. Kagome buried her face against his haori, blocking out the strange smell that the miasma gave out. Inuyasha backed away as the smoke closed in on them, blocking out their exit. It only took some time before the smoke was upon them.  
  
Inuyasha desperately covered his nose while trying to keep the smoke from touching the precious package on his back, but it came to naught when the smell became too strong for his sensitive nose. It simply seeped through no matter how tightly he held his breath. He fell to the ground, panting heavily, and Kagome climbed down from his back and knelt before him.  
  
"Inuyasha!? Daijobu?" she asked, her voice muffled by the hand she held over her nose. Inuyasha blinked heavily. The scent of the smoke was making him incredibly drowsy. He lethargically reached out and pulled Kagome tightly to his chest before collapsing on the ground with her.  
  
"Kagome," he began. "Don't let go..." he instructed, before he fell into unconsciousness.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called in panic when his eyelids fell shut. She took his face in both hands and shook him, not realizing that she had just taken her hand away from covering her nose. Before she even realized, she had inhaled the fatal miasma, and was soon drifting into unconsciousness herself...  
  
"Inuyasha..."  
  
-----/---@  
  
Naraku grinned as he watched the lovers lose consciousness, but he was cringing at the sight of them still holding each other despite the dire situation.  
  
'No matter,' he thought. 'This won't last long.'  
  
When he approached the pair, he had been giving Kagome her last chance to choose him over the hanyou. 'She should have just taken me,' he thought in malicious anger. 'It would have saved her a lot of pain.'  
  
He had planned on hurting the lovers if she still rejected him. After all, in his mind, it was either him or no one else for Kagome. So, in anger, he plotted on how to take her away from Inuyasha. And his plot included some very old, dark magic.  
  
True, Naraku seemed like your average snobbish daimyo, but he had been born with a special 'gift'. His powers were great, and it was his main means on how to get whatever it was he wanted. Using his secret skill in sorcery, he gathered his powers and began to weave a complicated spell that he would cast upon them shall she once again reject him. And since she did...  
  
He laughed gleefully, keeping steady watch. It shall be very entertaining to see how they would both react once they realize that they have been cursed.  
  
-----/---@  
  
Consciousness returned to Kagome slowly, and the painful pounding of her head gradually subsided as she fought to open her eyes. She was curled tightly into a fetal pose, with strong arms wrapped around her waist. She knew it was Inuyasha; but whether he was awake or not, she didn't know.  
  
"Kagome... are you ok?" he asked slowly in a strained, hoarse voice. She knew that the smoke must have affected him worse since his sense of smell was sharper.  
  
"Hai," she answered, turning around to face him. She was rather surprised to find his lips twisted into a small grimace of pain, and he was grinding his teeth so tightly, he might have been fracturing them. He was shielding his eyes from her view by his shaggy white bangs,  
  
"Inu-chan? Daijobu? Is there something wrong?" Kagome asked, putting a gentle palm o his face.  
  
Inuyasha was fighting to keep the pain from his face, but to no avail. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to block out the throbbing. The setting sun behind him cast a reddish glow about his figure, and it seemed to Kagome that the darker it got, the more his pain increased. Inuyasha squeezed her more tightly to himself and she felt the shudder that went through his body as his chest rumbled softly.  
  
"Inuyasha, please... are you hurt?" Kagome asked, worry filling her with dread. She somehow felt like this incident had something to do with the furious Naraku. Being born to a family of priests, Kagome was gifted with a special reiryoku, and the daimyo had always invoked the strangest shivers from her.  
  
Inuyasha would have cried from the intensity of the pain, but he knew that seeing him in tears would make Kagome hysterical. 'What the fuck is wrong with me? My body... I feel like I'm literally being burned!' he thought. It was puzzling, to say the least, but he knew that if Kagome didn't make it to the village by sundown, she would be in deep trouble.  
  
Then, quite suddenly, all his thought processes simply ceased as the sun set behind the glowing horizon, blanketing them both in semi-darkness.  
  
Inuyasha let go of Kagome, and with his last shred of conscious thought, he instructed her -  
  
"Run..."  
  
Kagome was confused when he let go of her, but didn't have time to ponder it as Inuyasha gave a strangled, agonized shout of pain. "Inuyasha!" she cried, crawling closer to him and surveying his body, almost afraid to touch him lest she cause him more pain.  
  
He was writhing in agony, his hands desperately trying to clutch the source of the searing pain. But it came to naught, since it felt like his entire body was engulfed in thick flames and large swords seemed to be piercing every part of his anatomy. He yelled out hi pain as he finally opened his tightly clenched golden orbs.  
  
Kagome gasped as she stared into Inuyasha's now blazing scarlet orbs. "Inu- " she began, but was cut off when she saw his body begin to shift. She looked on in fright as Inuyasha glowed brightly just as the sun disappeared below the horizon, and she reached out to touch him just as the glow began to subside.  
  
Kagome gasped at the sight that greeted her. Instead of the muscular form of her love, she was now gazing at a snow-white wolf. The wolf was lying on his side, panting heavily and draped loosely in Inuyasha's red robes. She backed away in confusion as the wolf's breathing slowed, and the nocturnal hunter slowly opened his eyes.  
  
"Inu- Inuyasha?" she asked softly as the wolf stared at her through golden eyes. It stood slowly, and the small pendant that still hung from around the wolf's neck confirmed her suspicions.  
  
"Inuyasha! It's you! How...?" She was startled though, when the wolf growled at her. She backed away further when the hanyou-turned wolf began to advance at her, baring his gleaming white fangs at her, his form crouched down and ready to pounce.  
  
-----/---@  
  
A/N: So, that's it for my first chapter. I know Inuyasha was OOC, but he's gonna be more in character as the story progresses. And about the curse - more about it in the next chapter.  
  
So, like it? Hate it? Please tell me what you think!  
  
Thank you so much for reading my fic, and please, REVIEW! No flames, please. Ja!  
  
ScarletRaven1001 


	2. Sunrise and Sunset Banes

A/N: I'm back! Haha... Gomen for taking so long with this chapter.  
  
Anyway, I have been asked more than once if this story was based on Ladyhawke, and all I can say is... I don't know. How is that, you ask? Well, generally, the idea for this story came from the summary of a movie that my friend had watched on cable. She narrated some parts of the story to me, from the start up to half of it, because she didn't finish watching it because of a power outage. She narrated it to me hoping that I knew of that movie and could help her find it in a video store because she wanted to know how it all came out, but the fact is, I didn't. But I liked the starting conflict and thought I'd use it. I had wanted to write it in my disclaimer, but alas, my friend, being the *smart* girl she is, forgot the title. I was actually hoping that some of you would notice and tell me what movie I got this from.  
  
The movie I am referring to stars Michelle Pfeifer (sp?) and Ruthger Hauer (sp?). Is THAT Ladyhawke? I hope so. Anyway, whether that is it or not, I'm putting it in my disclaimer this time. But ladies and gents, I am only gonna use the idea of the first part of the movie, which is the curse. Kagome's not even gonna be a bird. The rest of the story is mine (I hope).  
  
Thanks a lot to all those who informed me of it. Now that I know the title, I can probably read about it or watch it, so I know how it ends... so I don't accidentally make my fic TOO much like it.  
  
Here's the chapter. Enjoy! Please review! Arigatou for your time!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. I am just borrowing the characters and fooling around with them. I also do not own Ladyhawke. I just liked the idea, and I'm darn broke, so don't sue.  
  
-----/---@  
  
ENCHANTED DAWN  
  
Sunrise and Sunset Banes  
  
-----/---@  
  
"Inuyasha! It's you! How...?" She was startled though, when the wolf growled at her. She backed away further when the hanyou-turned wolf began to advance at her, baring his gleaming white fangs at her, his form crouched down and ready to pounce.  
  
-----/---@  
  
Air...  
  
Air was slowly making its way back to his deprived lungs, and he drank it in gratefully. He could hear muffled sounds around him... but his brain was too exhausted to process anything.  
  
When he could finally move, he slowly opened his eyes, looking around in the darkness. He was laying on the hard ground, strange coarse material wrapped around his body.  
  
He looked up when he heard something that sounded suspiciously like a human's voice. Just as he thought - a human was there beside him, looking at him strangely, almost as if the human was upset, saying things he didn't understand.  
  
What he did understand though, was that he was hungry, and that the pain in his body was taking its own sweet time subsiding. He knew it wasn't natural... and the only one present there was the only one who could possibly have caused it.  
  
The human.  
  
He stood slowly and watched the human back away when he growled. The human was frightened - he knew that for sure. He bared his fangs as he continued to growl at the human who kept backing away from him. He crouched low, ready to attack.  
  
She was shouting something, but of course, he didn't understand what she was saying. Wet trickles were coming out of the human's eyes, and she was trying to reach out to him.  
  
Something around his neck caught his eye, and as the human continued to release the strange liquid from her eyes, he chanced a look. The strange thing was hanging low, loosely around his shoulders, almost reaching the ground. It was round and gleaming, and he looked up and noticed that the human was clutching something identical to it, also hanging from her neck.  
  
Why were they wearing similar ornaments? Did he know this human? Was she his friend? Master? Family?  
  
He tilted his head to one side as he stared at the human. The human was probably female... her scent was too different from his own for her to be a male human. She smelled strangely like... like... cherry blossoms...  
  
She was obviously upset - she was shaking from head to foot. His ears flattened back on his head. Was HE the reason why she was upset? Because he didn't remember her? Who is this human?  
  
She was staring at him in fear, clutching that strange thing that hung around her neck. And the strange thing was, he didn't want her to look at him like that. He wanted to keep this human happy.  
  
He stopped growling and slowly approached her with caution. The coarse material still hung loosely from his body and the girl shrank back as he began to cautiously sniff her.  
  
-----/---@  
  
"Inuyasha! Onegai! It's me, Kagome! Inuyasha! Don't you remember me?" she asked in a shaky voice. She was terrified - she knew Inuyasha was not himself right then. Her Inuyasha would never hurt her - but this wolf didn't seem to consciously recognize her. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she reached a hand out at the frenzied wolf, clutching her pendant with the other unconsciously.  
  
The wolf abruptly stopped and stared down at its feet, and Kagome was concerned. She let the hand she had been reaching out to him fall to her lap and she sat on her haunches in worry. Wolf or not, he was still Inuyasha. "Inuyasha? Nani? Daijobu?" she whispered.  
  
Inuyasha looked back at her abruptly, his canine features twisted into an almost comical look of confusion. He seemed to be staring at her pendant as he tilted his head to one side.  
  
Kagome was scared for herself, for Inuyasha and for her confusion. "What happened? How did Inuyasha suddenly turn into a wolf?" she asked herself, her form convulsing with terror and sobs.  
  
Kagome took it as a good sign when Inuyasha stopped growling, but she recoiled in horror when he leaned down and loomed over her quivering form. She backed against a nearby tree, gasping when her back hit the cool bark. She shut her eyes as she heard him sniffing, and she grasped her pendant tightly, waiting for... for...  
  
Her eyes opened with a start when she felt something warm and wet against her cheek. She stared in confusion, shock and relief when she realized that Inuyasha was licking her face. "Nani o?" she couldn't help but ask rhetorically.  
  
A wolf, a vicious nocturnal hunter, was licking her face like a common dog! He seemed to have taken a liking to licking her tears off her cheeks.  
  
She let out a small sigh of relief when Inuyasha backed away from her, his intense golden eyes staring into her own. She lifted a hand to brush the thick white fur from his eyes, and she finally let go of her pendant to hesitantly scratch behind his ears.  
  
The wolf let out a low growl and Kagome pulled her hand back in shock before realizing that he was enjoying it. His eyes were shut, and she choked back a laugh when she saw his tongue begin to loll out. She had never seen a wolf act like this! She giggled tearfully, glad that she had at least gotten him to calm down.  
  
Inuyasha opened his eyes when she began to sob again, then leaned close enough to nuzzle her. His warm breath washed over her face and Kagome smiled.  
  
"Ano... Inuyasha..." she said slowly, searching the wolf's face for any trace of recognition. There was none. She let out a sigh. "Can I call you Inuyasha? That's your name."  
  
The wolf just stared at her.  
  
"I'm taking that as a yes," she said before straightening. She slowly stood up and Inuyasha watched with a look of confusion. She turned her back to him testily, still peaking over her shoulder. She began to walk in the direction of her shrine, watching the wolf for his reaction.  
  
Inuyasha stood still for a moment, seemingly debating over whether or not he should come along. Kagome nearly jumped in relief when he began to follow her.  
  
'Gods, what should I do? I don't know what is going on, and I know jiichan probably wouldn't as well. Maybe I should go over to Inuyasha's guardian?' she pondered silently.  
  
"Yes... I'll ask Kaede-baachan. She'll know what to do!" she exclaimed, glancing over at Inuyasha in worry. "Besides... I get the feeling that this isn't gonna be the last of it."  
  
-----/---@  
  
"Kaede-sama! Are you in there?" a female voice called through the old miko's shoji door. Though Kagome's grandfather was the town priest, Kaede was still more powerful, and people went to her often to have their ailments healed.  
  
After all, Kaede wasn't originally from this village, and since the village already had a priest, Kaede had always tried to keep a low profile.  
  
The old woman calmly walked towards her door and pushed the mat aside. She blinked twice as she looked at who was at the door.  
  
"Higurashi-san! What brings you here?" Kaede asked, motioning for the woman to come in.  
  
"Kaede-sama," Kagome's mother asked, worry in her tone and face. "Is Inuyasha home yet?"  
  
"No," Kaede said. "Please do not tell me that the boy chased your chickens around the shrine again?" she said lightly, but the worried lady shook her head.  
  
"He and Kagome left the shrine this morning and promised to be home by lunch, as usual. But the sun has already set... and they're still not home! I was somehow hoping that they'd be here," Mrs. Higurashi said in a tearful voice. Tears of worry were threatening to escape her eyes.  
  
Kaede looked thoughtful. "Now that I think about it... Inuyasha is usually back home before sunset. Now I am worried."  
  
Both sat in contemplative silence, and just when Kaede opened her mouth again, they heard a frantic yell of "Kaede-sama!" from right outside their door.  
  
"Kagome!" both women yelled as Kagome entered the hut, concern written upon her features.  
  
"What's wrong, Kagome-chan? Where is Inuyasha?" Kaede asked upon noticing that Inuyasha's red robes were bunched in Kagome's arms.  
  
Kagome began crying. "That's just it," she said just as a snow-white wolf entered the hut. Kagome's mother screamed, and Kaede began to reach for her broom when Kagome cried, "NO! Kaede-baachan, that IS Inuyasha!"  
  
Mrs. Higurashi looked at the wolf in fright. "Kagome, what are you talking about?!"  
  
"That wolf is Inuyasha!" she cried, then began to tearfully tell Kaede of what had happened in the forest. She recounted Naraku's arrival, the strange aura about him, and even told Kaede of the words he had told them as best as she could. Kaede looked worried as Kagome finished.  
  
"I have heard of this curse... or so I think. If it is what I think it is, then we are in deep trouble," she said solemnly.  
  
"What is it?" Kagome asked. She was seated on the hut right between Inuyasha and her mother, who was slowly stroking her hair.  
  
"The curse of the Dawn Bane, I think it is. It is a powerful curse that can only be broken by a specific magical object. For a long time I believed that this curse was only myth, but now I see that it is for real. The daimyo must be quite a powerful sorcerer."  
  
Kagome seethed. "I am going to kill Naraku. Is Inuyasha going to stay this way forever? Kaede-baachan... I can't lose him!"  
  
Kaede shook her head. "No. But before you can rejoice, Kagome, there is something you must know. If this is the Dawn Bane, I believe that you too, will suffer."  
  
"How?" Kagome asked quietly.  
  
"This curse, will fade for Inuyasha once the sun rises. He will go back to his hanyou form by sunrise. Unfortunately... YOU will also change form by sunrise. You will also turn into the animal that best describes your persona, just as Inuyasha changed into a wolf," Kaede explained.  
  
"What can we do about this, Kaede?" Kagome's mother suddenly asked.  
  
"As I said," Kaede began. It can only be broken by a specific magical object, and I believe that the only thing powerful enough to break this would be the Shikon no Tama."  
  
"The Jewel of the Four Souls..." Kagome said in awe. "I've heard about this from jiichan. Isn't it supposed to give the bearer whatever he desires?"  
  
Kaede nodded. "You're right, Kagome. If you can take hold of it, you can break the spell."  
  
"Demo, how? Where is it?"  
  
Kaede looked crestfallen. "I am sorry. All I know is that an ancient, powerful miko once managed to make it explode into myriad pieces, and the shards, I believe, are scattered all around Japan..."  
  
"But... then it would be impossible!" Kagome shrieked. "Isn't there another way?"  
  
Kaede hung her head and remained silent.  
  
-----/---@  
  
Dawn was fast approaching, and Kagome was slowly dreading it. If she changes, it would mean that Kaede's assumption about the Dawn Bane had been correct, and they would have to embark on a search to piece together a jewel she had never ever seen.  
  
She twisted her hands into the hem of her dark green hakama, sweat slightly drenching her white kimono. Kagome hugged Inuyasha's robes to herself, as if seeking comfort from them. She turned and now hugged Inuyasha, her fingers absently touching the charm around the wolf's neck. The wolf looked at her through her love's intense golden eyes.  
  
Her mother had refused to go home, but Kaede had told her to go and inform Souta and Kagome's grandfather of what had happened. They had then agreed to visit her in the morning, whether Kagome was still human or not, to tell her of their next step.  
  
Kaede also sat awake, drinking her eighth cup of tea, while Kagome refused to eat or drink anything. As the sun slowly broke the horizon, turning the sky a blood red, Kagome began to feel slightly uncomfortable. She let go of Inuyasha as she turned to study her arms.  
  
"Kaede-baachan... my body... oh, gods! I think you were right!"  
  
Kaede looked forlorn. "Stay calm, my dear... the transformation may hurt."  
  
"I know... Kaede!" she shouted as her entire body began to feel horrible pain. It felt as if jolts of electricity were slowly running down her arms and legs, and as the sun broke the horizon, Kagome turned back and tightly embraced Inuyasha, screaming her agony.  
  
Kaede watched as a brilliant white light engulfed the lovers, trying to block out the sound of Kagome's pained screams. When the light subsided, there lay a nude, hanyou Inuyasha, tightly clutching a dark bundle in his arms. Kagome's lovely form was nowhere in sight, thought her robes seem to have fallen off her and her green hakama had wrapped itself around Inuyasha's hips, preserving his modesty.  
  
It only meant one thing: Kagome had also transformed.  
  
Kaede watched as Inuyasha slowly gained consciousness, and he blinked his eyes as he tried to focus on his surroundings. The first thing he saw was Kaede.  
  
"Kaede? Where am I? Where's Kagome?" he asked rather groggily as he finally noticed the bundle in his arms. "What the?"  
  
He slowly put the bundle he held down, and realized that he had held a sleek, black cat in his arms. The cat's smooth black fur clung to its body perfectly, and Inuyasha nearly jumped back when the cat opened its eyes.  
  
The cat's eyes... were the exact color of Kagome's.  
  
"Kaede... where is Kagome?" he asked, a feeling of dread crawling through him as he simultaneously noticed his naked state, Kagome's discarded robes and the charm that hung around the blue/gray eyed cat's neck.  
  
Kaede looked sad, confirming his own suspicions. "Inuyasha... THAT," she said, pointing to the cat, "Is Kagome."  
  
-----/---@  
  
A/N: Uh oh... How's he gonna react? Anyway, gomen for taking so long for this chap.  
  
Responses!!!  
  
Litwolf689: I'm glad you like it! Anyway, daimyos are a sort of ancient noblemen (something like a duke, I guess), and reiryoku means spiritual powers, something like Miroku's houriki.  
  
Chevere: Kinda... Lol!  
  
Jesse the Wolf Demon: Glad you liked it! Anyway, no, I've never seen it... Here's the update!  
  
Kiyume: I'm glad you like it! Gomen for the new sorta-cliffy. Hehe... *sweatdrops*  
  
Moonlight Shadow4: Thanks!  
  
Slvrstarlight: Yep! I'm gonna finish all my fics!  
  
Hanamaru285: Thanks! Glad you like it!  
  
Faraday: Yeah... hehe... thanks for telling me about it! I'm glad you like it!  
  
Til next time! Arigatou for reading, and please review!!! 


	3. The Four Pendants

A/N: Hello! I'm back! Gomen for the long update. Writer's block... too much schoolwork... eh... need I say more?  
  
Anyway, here's the next chap! Please read and review! Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
-----/---@  
  
ENCHANTED DAWN  
  
The Four Pendants  
  
-----/---@  
  
"Kaede... where is Kagome?" he asked, a feeling of dread crawling through him as he simultaneously noticed his naked state, Kagome's discarded robes and the charm that hung around the blue/gray eyed cat's neck.  
  
Kaede looked sad, confirming his own suspicions. "Inuyasha... THAT," she said, pointing to the cat, "Is Kagome."  
  
-----/---@  
  
"What are you talking about? How could that cat be my Kagome?! Baabaa! Answer me ima sugu ni!" Inuyasha demanded of his caretaker. "I want to know... What happened to her?"  
  
Kaede looked forlorn, hardly daring to meet his eyes. "You have been cursed, Inuyasha," she said softly, watching his amber eyes widen in surprise. She threw him his fire rat kimono, and turned to give him privacy as he dressed.  
  
Inuyasha looked at the cat in his arms. She was shivering in the harsh early morning cold, and Inuyasha didn't want to believe that this cat truly WAS Kagome. But something in him just told him that no matter how much he refused to believe it, this cat was his love. The cat's eyes said it all...  
  
'Why a cat? Gods... of all the animals on the planet!' he grumped, not knowing whether he should put her down and let the curious cat watch him dress or to push her off to go to Kaede. He stroked her sleek fur one more time before gently putting her down.  
  
"Oi... um, neko... Kag-chan?" he said hesitantly. "Go to Kaede..." he said softly, pushing the feline towards where the old lady was. She didn't budge. "Oi! Do you seriously want to watch me dress up?"  
  
The cat simply purred and stared at him. Kaede snickered.  
  
"Oh, man! Don't do this to me!" he nearly wailed. He stood up, dragging the green hakama, which still lay on his lap, with him. "I can't dress up with you watching! You made me promise! No naked activities until we're married!"  
  
Kaede snorted loudly. "Inuyasha, she's a cat..."  
  
"But she's still Kagome!"  
  
"I know, idiot! What I'm trying to say is that she now has the mind of a cat as well!" Kaede said in exasperation. "Now dress up so I can tell you what happened! I can't talk to a naked man, you know!"  
  
Inuyasha grumbled before dropping Kagome's hakama to his feet, blushing as he exposed himself to the cat. Kagome just stared at him, twitching her nose, as he dressed hurriedly.  
  
"Oi, I'm decent," he called once he was dressed, taking the cat into his lap again. Kaede slowly faced them both, looking forlorn as she proceeded to tell him about her suspicions regarding the curse. When she finished, Inuyasha was all but smoking in fury.  
  
"Fuck Naraku," Inuyasha said slowly. "Why did he have to do this?! He is such a fucking sore loser!"  
  
"I believe his 'love' for Kagome is selfish enough to make him do such a vile thing," Kaede groused. "But I know just what we need to do to get you out of this..."  
  
"I know what you're thinking, baabaa, and I'm telling you now, it's impossible!" Inuyasha said, staring at Kagome as she snuggled into his lap. "The Shikon no Tama does not exist, baabaa. It's a fucking legend!"  
  
"It is NOT a legend, Inuyasha!" Kaede said. "Kagome had agreed to search for it, if ever. Or rather, for the pieces of it."  
  
Inuyasha looked murderous. "Even if the damn thing was real, Kaede, it's scattered all around Japan. What the hell am I supposed to do, sniff around for it?"  
  
"No. But have you ever taken a good look at the pendants that you and Kagome now wear?" Kaede asked. "You remember, that those were passed down to you by your father and mother?"  
  
Inuyasha nodded.  
  
Kaede reached down and clasped Inuyasha's pendant in her hand. She then turned the round orb and showed Inuyasha a seemingly cracked part of the pendant. He raised his eyebrows at her. "What? It's a defect. I noticed it when I dug those things up to give one to Kagome. Both pendants are cracked."  
  
Wordlessly, the old woman pressed her thumb against the crack, and Inuyasha watched as the pendant slowly split into two. The pendant gradually separated evenly, and Inuyasha realized that the inside was hollow...  
  
And inside it was a single, sparkling pink shard.  
  
"What the hell?!" Inuyasha exclaimed as he bent to pick at the strange shard. It was obviously a part of a jewel, shining brightly in the early morning light. Even Kagome raised her head from its comfortable position on his lap to look at the intriguing gem. "Is that..."  
  
"The Shikon no Tama. One of its many shards. Another shard is within Kagome's necklace. Your father had forged these two pendants as a vault for the shards, and only those who bore pure reiryoku, or those descended from him, can open this necklace," Kaede explained.  
  
"But... why would he put it here?" Inuyasha asked, taking the gem into the palm of his hand. The shard continued to glow and pulse lightly as he held it.  
  
"I believe that your pendant may serve as a guide in searching for the missing pieces. Your father had never been very much interested in the Shikon no Tama, but he was aware of its powers. He wouldn't have wanted for it to fall into the wrong hands."  
  
Inuyasha could barely believe it. The Shikon no Tama... was for real?  
  
"Do you really think that this Shikon no Tama can help me and Kagome?" he asked slowly. "Is this what could break the curse?"  
  
Kaede nodded.  
  
'Anything for Kagome...' Inuyasha thought, his gaze narrowing slightly as he looked upon the cat form of his love, remembering that it had all been Naraku's doing.  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
-----/---@  
  
"Hiraikotsu!"  
  
The giant boomerang swiftly sliced through the trees that had been unfortunate enough to have been selected as the day's target practice. Sango took a stance as she waited for her oversized weapon to whirl its way back to her, and when it did, she jumped up slightly to catch it in mid air.  
  
She had stopped fighting two years ago... that fateful day when her entire village was annihilated by a horde of youkai, and her father had made her promise, with his dying breath, to never seek vengeance, to never go against another youkai for as long as she lived. Sango had tearfully sworn to live a normal life, but the anger at the sudden loss was still within her, and it was hard to keep her word whenever a youkai, no matter how small, happened to be around. She never intended to use her weapon again, but somehow, the urge to never lose her touch was overwhelming enough to spur her to secretly practice herself every morning.  
  
She looked up at the brightening sun. She had only a few minutes left before the monastery she served called upon her. The shrine had taken her in after they had found her broken in the middle of the forest, and its inhabitants had since been her family.  
  
She sighed as she picked herself up and headed back for the shrine. She clutched tightly at the pendant that her father had given her on her fifteenth birthday as an heirloom. He had told her to never lose it... that it was important. Something about a jewel. 'As if I ever would,' she thought. He had never been given the chance to tell her how important it was though...  
  
She brushed back her long bangs as she climbed the heavy staircase. Being the only woman in a monastery had its downs. She was of course, expected to do the cooking. And the washing. And the sweeping...  
  
She hiked up to her room first of all, to stash away the gargantuan boomerang. She grinned as she picked up her usual hair tie, pulling her hair back into a low ponytail. Time to get to work.  
  
-----/---@  
  
Miroku looked up upon hearing the usual sound of falling trees. 'My, my. What a temper that girl has!' he thought in amusement. She had no idea, but he had always known of her 'secret' night duels with the unfortunate trees in the immediate area.  
  
He chuckled as he heard another faint shout of 'hiraikotsu'. He had always liked the taijiya, but his vow of celibacy would forbid him to even go near her lovely presence. He had always just watched her from the sidelines - groped her at times - but he could never take anything regarding her seriously.  
  
He walked out the shrine to have a short look at her as she came back into the shrine. He grasped the small pendant that hung around his neck, an inheritance from his beloved late father. The man had said that there were four of those pendants around, each as significant as the other. Miroku had thought he had seen a similar pendant on his cousin Kagome, but he couldn't be sure.  
  
Sango walked steadily towards her quarters. The sun was beginning to rise, and she never neglected her responsibilities. He concealed himself behind a wall as she walked in, still swinging her boomerang around the air in a small arc.  
  
She disappeared into her quarters, only to emerge a moment later with her hair in a low ponytail. 'Time to come out,' he thought.  
  
He walked out into the open, and pretended to look surprised upon finding her there. "Sango-sama! You're up rather early, aren't you!"  
  
Sango smiled upon approaching him, but as usual kept an arm's length away from his wandering hands. "Not really, Houshi-sama. I have to go and feed the birds in the aviary right now."  
  
Miroku scratched his head. "You do? But isn't that Hachi's job?"  
  
Sango laughed lightly. "Hai. But he claims that he has very important things to do today, and can't be bothered by feeding birds."  
  
"Indolence," Miroku said, shaking his head. "May I go with you?"  
  
"If you wish to be bothered by watching me feed the birds," she said with a smile.  
  
Miroku laughed heartily. "Hai, hai. I should help you do so."  
  
"But don't you have meditation practices today, Houshi-sama?"  
  
"Yeah. But I believe it would be better if I helped other people instead of sitting in my room, ne?" he grinned.  
  
Sango blushed and nodded. "If you insist..."  
  
-----/---@  
  
"Are you sure this is not forbidden, Houshi-sama?" Sango asked as Miroku led her to his family's shrine, which stood atop a hill in the far side of the town. "Are we allowed out of the monastery on days like this?"  
  
Miroku grinned as he shook his head. After feeding the birds, Miroku had invited Sango to come along as he visited his old home. "No, it is not forbidden. And besides, I know you miss my cousin. You two seemed to have gotten along quite well."  
  
Sango brightened. "Yeah. She's very nice! And now that I think about it, I haven't been out of the monastery for a long time."  
  
"Aa," Miroku agreed, his hand slowly inching its way towards her backside.  
  
"Houshi-sama, you are going to lose those fingers."  
  
"Ah! Gomen!"  
  
Both looked up as they neared the shrine, perplexed as the frantic voice of Kagome's mother reached their ears. "... what happened to her! I have to go. If you had seen Inuyasha..."  
  
"Inuyasha? Houshi-sama, isn't that the name of your hanyou friend?" Sango asked. She also knew that the hanyou was her friend Kagome's love interest.  
  
"Hai. I wonder what's going on?" Miroku absently said as he quickened his steps. "Obasan!" he cried, making the woman's head turn to her. He was startled to see tears glistening on her face. "Obasan! What happened? Where is Kagome?"  
  
She looked ready to faint as she quickly relayed to him where the girls was, and what had happened the day before.  
  
"Inuyasha turned into a wolf?" Miroku said in disbelief, and he heard Sango suck in a deep breath. "Nani, Sango?"  
  
"Higurashi-san," Sango said, not even looking at Miroku as she addressed the worried woman. "Was Kagome affected?"  
  
"No. But Kaede-sama had said that she had a feeling that Kagome would be in a matter of time and..."  
  
"The Dawn Bane," Sango said softly, looking up at Miroku with fright. Miroku looked puzzled, but Kagome's mom started violently.  
  
"Hai! That's what Kaede said! How do you..."  
  
"Can I come to Kaede-sama's home with you? Because... I may be able to help..." Sango said, looking down at her shoes.  
  
"Yes, yes, by all means! Let's go! I want to see Kagome. Miroku, do you want to go?"  
  
Miroku looked down at Sango, trying to catch her eyes. When Sango looked up, she nodded sadly. "Your friend Inuyasha may need you right now, Houshi- sama."  
  
Miroku nodded.  
  
-----/---@  
  
A/N: Gomen for the short chapter. But I have the feeling that it might have been the best place to end it. Next chap is halfway done, I'll be posting in three or five days. ^_^  
  
Responses:  
  
Roze: Thanks! Glad you like it!  
  
Mage: Gomen for the long update. That would be so romantic... the looking into each other's eyes thing. ^_^  
  
fetchboy69: Glad you liked it! Arigatou!  
  
Chevere: Thanks! Glad you like it!  
  
Litwolf689: I'm updating them all right now! ^_____^ Glad you liked it!  
  
Mustard Yellow Sunshine: Nice name! Anyway, I'm glad you like it. Thanks! And gomen for the long update!  
  
Jesse the Wolf Demon: I like mystical movies too! Hehe... glad you liked it. Gomen for the late update!  
  
Caligo Origuu: Glad you like it! Here's the next chap! ^_^  
  
Jeanne-chan56: I can't bear sad endings... anyway, I'm glad you like it!  
  
Hanamaru285: Glad you like it! And gomen for the late update.  
  
I hope I didn't miss anyone! Anyway, arigatou to all those who reviewed my past chapters. Please read and review. Hope you enjoyed! Ja ne! 


	4. Shards of Hope

A/N: Ladies and gentlemen, PLEASE do not kill me! I realize that months with no updates is a long time, and I'm really starting to hate myself, but with the way my life has been lately, I think anybody in my position would get writer's block...

Anyway, enough of my hopeless life... and on with the fic! I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. But I can deal with it...

oooooooooo

ENCHANTED DAWN

Shards of Hope

oooooooooo

"I can't do this... You know I can't place her at risk!" Inuyasha whispered venomously to Kaede. He glanced over at Kagome, who was busy trying to claw at the pendant that hung around her small neck. "I will search for the jewel ALONE. I am not going to drag Kagome into this!"

"You have no choice, you blithering baka," Kaede shot back. "She too is cursed. Do you think she would appreciate it if she goes back to being human without you here since you have begun the search without her? And how will you continue the search once night falls and you become a wolf once again?"

"I don't care! I will not put Kag-chan in danger! Besides, do I really have to find this Shikon thing? Won't killing Naraku do the trick?"

"No! This is a powerful, ancient spell that lives on even after the death of the caster. You have no choice! Besides, she bears one of the necklaces, does she not? It means she is one of the people destined to mark the Shikon no Tama."

"Have you forgotten, old hag, that I gave her that damn necklace?" Inuyasha said in irritation as he got up off the floor and secured his clothing. Some bits of earth and dust still clung to his clothing, and he hastily dusted himself up.

"But the necklace didn't reject her, did it?" Kaede insisted.

Kagome looked up at the arguing pair, tilting her head to the side and perking up her ears. Why were the two humans fighting? And why did they keep glancing at her as they did? Did she do something wrong?

She slowly walked over to the human who was standing, seemingly mad at the chubby one who sat in front of her. The human looked disgruntled, so she did the only thing she could – she went up to his feet, and rubbed herself against him.

Inuyasha looked down at the cat by his feet, once again cursing whoever god came to mind at the moment. "Oi... Kag-chan. You know I don't like cats," he said with a grin as he slowly leaned down to stroke her lustrous fur. "I guess I have to learn to like 'em, then."

Inuyasha sat back down, pulling a contented neko onto his lap. He turned back to Kaede with a raised brow, before murmuring, "What do you mean, it didn't reject her? It's a damn necklace, how can it reject anyone?"

"It is not an ordinary necklace, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha quieted down. She was right.

"Kaede-sama! Kagome!" an anxious voice called out from the outside, and Inuyasha immediately recognized the voice and scent of Kagome's mother. Two other scents were with him – Kagome's cousin Miroku, and their friend, the ex-taijiya named Sango.

He looked down at his lap, guilt gnawing at his insides. Somehow... he felt Kagome's condition was his fault. He couldn't protect her from that damned daimyo, and now here she was, cursed, like he was.

Kaede stepped out of the hut as they heard the call, and Inuyasha heard the old woman usher the worried mother and her companions in amidst the flurry of questions. They were speaking quietly, but he didn't even bother to listen. He was too caught up in his self-loathing.

The moment Kagome's mother set eyes upon Inuyasha and the dark feline in his arms, she burst into sobs and immediately knelt beside him. She pushed his hands back slightly to look at the cat, who just stretched and looked inquiringly at her – the unmistakable blue-gray eyes making the woman cry even harder.

"It IS Kagome... oh Kami... oh Kami!" she cried, holding her hands over her lips in an attempt to silence her sobs.

"Higurashi-san... I'm sorry," Inuyasha whispered, not daring to lift his eyes to the woman. "This is all my fault... I..."

"No," she interrupted. "Don't blame yourself."

Silence settled between them at the statement. Inuyasha shook his head slightly. There was no way he could ever stop blaming himself for this.

Kaede sat back down at her usual place. Miroku and Sango remained frozen by the door, staring at the forlorn woman and the chastised hanyou.

Something had caught Sango's attention though, and she stared long at it before being the first to break the silence.

"Who did this, Inuyasha?" she asked, her hands clenching into tight fists.

Inuyasha could smell anger, agitation and fear radiating from Sango, but he made no comment about it. "It was the damn daimyo. Naraku."

Sango gritted her teeth. The Dawn Bane. It was the same curse that... the self-same curse that had...

She shook her head of her morbid thoughts. There was no use dwelling on the past. She had to move on.

Miroku noticed the taijiya's conflicting emotions flicker across her usually calm face, but did not mention it. She only ever got this way whenever her thoughts were on her past, and he knew that the woman's past was nothing short of painful.

"I may know how to break the curse... I may be able to help," Sango said, her eyes rather far away as she said so.

This made Inuyasha look up. "You... you do?"

Miroku was surprised. "Sango-sama, I had no idea that you knew so much of this curse. I didn't know the first thing about it!"

"Yes, dear, how did you..." Kaede started as Higurashi-san looked hopefully at the girl.

"It doesn't matter," Sango replied. She turned to Inuyasha. "All I know is," she started as she reached into her robes, and pulled out something that hung from a simple chain around her neck. "Kagome, you and I all wear the same pieces of jewelry. I am not quite sure how this works, but from what my father had told me about these when he was alive, these are special pendants that could grant the wishes of the ones who could complete their core, a magical jewel."

Inuyasha looked on in shock, and Miroku gave a soft gasp as they watched her pull out a pendant that looked exactly like the ones that hung from their own necks. It took Miroku a few moments to regain his power of speech.

"Sango-sama... Inuyasha..." he started, looking between the two as he pulled out his own pendant. "Look."

Both looked at him in surprise. Kaede and Higurashi-san were just too overwhelmed to speak.

Kaede's mind was spinning in circles, though. The pendants had been given to different people soon after they were forged... Four completely different people. How could they have ended up in the hands of these four people?

Miroku watched Inuyasha slowly lift his pendant into his hand. He then pressed lightly against a side of it, and everyone, except Kaede, stared in shocked silence as it glowed slightly before splitting in two, revealing a single shard.

"This pendant was from my father," he stated, before reaching for Kagome's pendant. She just lay on his lap as he opened her own necklace before her eyes. "So was this. I don't know what's going on, but I think that these things can help us... and I don't know how."

"I already told you how. You have to find and make whole the Shikon no Tama," Kaede said as she snapped out of her stupor. "But this is complicated since the other pendants are with your friends."

"No, this makes it easier," Miroku stepped in. "I still don't understand this, Kaede, but by looking at these pendants, I am starting to believe that these are the parts to a certain whole. We now at least have a few of the pieces."

"How did you get that thing, Miroku?" Kagome's mother asked, her eyes still wet with tears. "And you, dear, where... how? What is going on?" she asked Sango, before turning confused eyes on the old miko beside her.

"I inherited it from my father," Miroku said at the same time as Sango. Both glanced at each other with a small blush.

"And I got these from mine," Inuyasha added. "But now what?"

"Inuyasha," Miroku began. "Kagome is my cousin. You are my friend. I want to help you get over this curse as much as I can. And if by having these pendants mean that I will HAVE to anyway, I know I will not have any second thoughts about it."

Sango nodded her agreement. A firm believer of destiny, and of her father's words about the pendant, she had no qualms about embarking on whatever it may take for her to fulfill the deeds fate has in store for her. "This is no coincidence. I think we were destined to put the enchanted jewel together."

Higurashi-san couldn't keep her eyes off the three young people in the room. "Would you truly help my dear Kagome?"

Inuyasha looked straight at her as he spoke. "I will do anything for Kagome. Anything to make sure that she is restored to normal, and that the caster of the spell is punished. Even if it kills me."

Sango's wince went unnoticed by everyone but Miroku.

"Are you all sure of this? You could always just give Inuyasha your shards, and he and Kagome can go off on their own," Kaede asked Miroku and Sango.

Miroku violently shook his head. "I cannot let them do this without me. I have, through some strange instance, managed to inherit this pendant. Something that has clearly been forged by the same person who forged Inuyasha's..."

"My dad did that," Inuyasha interjected.

"And I agree with Sango-sama. This is no coincidence," Miroku continued.

"Besides, this is a very tricky curse. You cannot expect Inuyasha and Kagome to accomplish the deed without help," Sango added. "I know Inuyasha is a hanyou, and he could easily do anything, but he is CURSED. Once the curse befalls him at sundown, he will be helpless, whether he accepts that or not, and Kagome will definitely have a hard time fending for herself alone once SHE becomes human."

"She's right," Inuyasha said. "I... I can survive on my own, but Kagome... she isn't like me."

"Then it's settled! I am going to help you in this!" Miroku cried, tenacity filling his eyes.

"So am I." Sango said, more softly than Miroku.

Inuyasha looked at the two with a grateful smile on his face. Miroku was just his friend, Sango just an acquaintance, but they were so eager to help him and Kagome in their dire situation. "Thanks... both of you. From both Kagome and myself."

"Think nothing of it my friend," Miroku said, crouching beside Inuyasha, right across his aunt. He gave him an evil grin before he added. "I mean, you never know... I may have my own evil agenda about this entire deal. Maybe I want an excuse to get away from my duties at the shrine."

"Or, we may just be bored out of our heads and are in need of an adventure," Sango added as she too, sat beside Inuyasha and her friend-turned-cat, on Miroku's side.

"Hai. But before we go," Miroku said. "Would somebody PLEASE tell me what the curse is in the first place? And could someone tell me EXACTLY what we are supposed to do? I have to admit... I'm very confused."

All three turned towards Kaede with expectant looks on their faces. Even Higurashi-san looked at her as she worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

Seeing the determined look in their eyes, Kaede had to agree. It would be impossible to complete the Shikon no Tama without help. She sighed as she asked everybody to sit down. This would be a long discussion.

oooooooooo

A/N: Short, ne? Fear not... they begin their "journey" next chapter. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Please review. I would love to know what you think. Besides, reviews make me write faster. You all saw how s-l-o-w I could get when ya' all don't. Just see how long it took me with this update. Hint, hint. Ok, so I'm begging... PLEASE REVIEW! Ja!


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